The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Competent Authority and his disjointed cabinet made the decision, collectively, to prematurely open the nation’s borders and to permit Bahamians to travel in and out of the USA (inclusive of hot spot areas like Florida) and to re-enter the country without being tested or quarantined if the travel period was less than 72 hours.

Within days we noticed an upward tick in the number of confirmed cases of the pandemic, especially in the Grand Bahama area where scores, if not hundreds of Bahamians were allowed to flock overseas via a fast ferry boat.

Some say that they had to travel to the USA to prepare for back to school items. Others say that they had to seek medical attention. Others just wanted to get away and chill. For whatever reasons, it is clear that this second surge directly resulted from the intemperate decisions made by the Competent Authority and his crew... Big Time.

At least two or three recent deaths have been attributed to travel to the USA after the borders were reopened. It is reported that a woman and her daughter living in Grand Bahama travelled to Florida recently and upon their return they are suspected to have exposed close to a dozen or more of their relatives to the disease. No one is sure just how many other persons might have been exposed unwittingly.

There may well be blood on the collective hands of this administration and cabinet if additional Bahamians who would have travelled to the USA were to die from COVID-19 related issues that were contracted after travelling. In my opinion the Competent Authority and his ministerial colleagues made a bad judgment call and now the entire nation is being resubmitted to a national lock down through no fault of the majority of Bahamians, but as a direct result of this inept crew.

The FNM spin doctors and there are not that many of them any more will try as much as they like to cast the blame for this second surge on ordinary Bahamians, but the buck stops with them collectively and at the desk of the Competent Authority in particular. From the early months of this year they all knew of the pandemic, but did next to nothing to prepare for the inevitable onslaught.

Duane Sands has gone home as Minister of Health, but he too is to be blamed for gross miscalculations and preparations. Before his resignation (or involuntary expulsion) from cabinet he was to be seen all over the place waxing about this and about that. Now, he’s picked up his marbles and gone home. Minnis in my view wanted to get rid of Sands a long time ago but waited for the right opportunity.

Sands, it was claimed, facilitated six or seven individuals coming into the country with no related COVID deaths. Minnis and his kitchen cabinet – as I understand it – allowed scores of Bahamians, if not hundreds to simply waltz over to the USA for no good reasons and now we are in excess of 700 known infections.

Surely, the Competent Authority and his yes men/women should shoulder more blame than Sands and they should come back to the people now if they dare. Bahamians cannot and will not take much more of this halter-skelter regime. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE Jr,

Nassau,

August 4, 2020.